The present invention relates to the field of purchasing and, more particularly, to storefront purchases using non-negotiable credits.
In many instances, entertainment districts often include venues such as casinos, concert halls, mini-malls, and retail storefronts in close proximity to one another. These venues offer patrons a large variety of entertainment options and activities. Many times, patrons visit casinos to gamble in hopes of earning “expendable” income, which can be used to enhance activities at various venues. For instance, when a patron earns funds from a game of chance in a casino, they may buy clothing items from an “upscale” retail store which they would not normally purchase.
Casinos require patrons to play games of chance with casino determined entertainment credits such as casino tokens and chips. When patrons earn winnings, winnings are in the form of these entertainment credits. These credits can have no value outside the casino and cannot be used for purchases outside the casino. Thus, to perform purchases outside the casino with winnings, frequently patrons are required to “cash out” to change entertainment credits (e.g., casino tokens) earned from the game of chance to currency (e.g., paper money).
This cash out procedure can be problematic for some patrons who may not wish to carry cash on their person for security reasons, especially when earnings can be large sums. Further, the cash out procedure forces patrons to stop interacting in a game of chance and convert the earnings into money. In many instances, patrons convert all earnings into currency which eliminates all the entertainment credits possessed by the patron. When a patron leaves the casino to make a purchase and returns to the casino to gamble, the patron must obtain entertainment credits again. This can often times be a hassle for patrons which can result in their decreased interest in gaming. As such, it would be beneficial if entertainment credits value would persist from venue to venue.